Family History of Glaucoma: A Predictive Factor?

Aim: To provide the data differences in normal eyes with positive and negative family history of glaucoma.

Methodology: 152 eyes from healthy subjects aged 40 years and above with no ocular pathologies were examined using standard protocols by a single examiner. Two groups were made based on the positive and negative family history of glaucoma. There were 76 eyes in negative family history group and 76 eyes in positive family history group. Subjects with history of diabetic or hypertensive retinopathy, raised intraocular pressure (> 21 mmHg), any neurological diseases e.g. Parkinson’s disease and previous intraocular or laser surgery were excluded from the study. The mean retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was calculated in each quadrant separately.

Results: The mean global retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was found to be 102.57 ± 7.27 μm in those having negative family history of glaucoma. It was 90.46 ± 7.06 μm in those having positive family history of glaucoma (p = < 0.001).

Conclusions: Keeping in mind the variations in RNFL thickness with positive family history of glaucoma, this study provides the normal values of RNFL thickness according positive and negative family history of glaucoma. It is concluded that RNFL thickness is found to be significantly decreased in those having positive family history of glaucoma.